Face It Later
by Selphie Kinneas 175
Summary: Post-game. One-shot. Hope misses her so much that he sees her in his dreams. "You remember what I told you? Six years ago on the Yaschas Massif? Well, I wasn't joking. It really does make me happy when you smile." Will he ever get to really see her again?


**A/N: **A Final Fantasy XIII one-shot delving into a type of writing I don't usually tackle: blissful, peaceful romance. I've done romance before, but not this fluffy stuff - my work is usually darker. I tried it, though, and it's not too bad. Enjoy :)

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Final Fantasy XIII.

* * *

**Face It Later**

_By: Selphie Kinneas 175_

||0||

One year's time had never gone by so slow. That's how long it had been since the near destruction of Cocoon.

The civilians of the once utopian paradise in the sky were relocated to Pulse to live. Most of them were not very happy about it, still not completely comprehending the situation that occurred, and blaming all the wrong people for their transfer to hell.

It took some time, but in that year, the people began to warm up to this foreign place. The bickering and quarreling died down, and homes and buildings were erected. The infamous group of l'Cie made sure that none of the nature or wildlife was harmed in this process, in memories of their friends that were now gone.

In the middle of one small town, inside an even smaller home, lay a lonely boy in his bed.

The blonde haired boy sat up in his cot, confused and disoriented, what had just happened?

Sleeping… yes, he had been _sleeping_. But, then how did he see _her_?

Ah yes, he was _dreaming_. He saw her in a dream, a dream he wished never ended.

As he thought about it more, the dream began flooding back to him, and he suddenly could remember it all in a flash.

He was in a grassy field, one with much resemblance to the Yaschas Massif on Pulse. He began looking around frantically, how had he gotten there?

After a few minutes of silent confusion, the young boy heard a soft, sweet laughter ring throughout the air. He didn't know whether to feel comforted by it or to be frightened by it. However, part of him recognized the charming giggle.

Perplexed, he yelled, "Who's there?"

He heard snickering again before a thickly accented voice was heard over all else saying, "It's just me silly!"

The small boy whirled around at the sound and he couldn't believe who he saw standing before him. A young girl with red, curly hair pulled to the sides in pony tails stood before him with a humongous grin on her face.

It took the young male a minute to find his voice, but as soon as he did he used it, "Vanille?"

Upon hearing him speak her name, she sprinted over to him and threw her arms around his small frame saying cheerily, "Oh, Hope! How have you been?"

Hope had yet to return the hug. Not out of rudeness or anything of the sort, simply bewilderment and disbelief. He asked her, "I, uh… how are you here?"

The response he received was another feminine chuckle, and she said, "Don't ruin the moment! I said, how've you been?"

Hope furrowed his brow and thought for a moment, "Um… I've been better," still not completely understanding what was going on.

Vanille stepped back for a moment and lowered her arms, asking, "How long has it been?"

"One year," he replied plainly.

She rested her head in her hand, taking a moment to ponder something that Hope could not fathom, and he didn't press the issue; he was already puzzled enough.

He gave her a minute to think about whatever she was concentrating on, and then questioned, "How did we get here?"

Vanille smiled at him and giggled, outstretching her arms as she said enthusiastically, "We can go wherever you like!"

"Um…" Hope was already baffled, and he decided he wasn't going to question their whereabouts anymore, seeing as he could not get a definite answer.

After a few moments, Vanille went to the edge of a cliff face and sat down, Hope soon following suit.

"So, umm…" the young boy spoke up, looking off into the clouds, "Does this mean you've woken from crystal stasis?" he inquired as he turned to face her.

"Nope," she returned his gaze with a smirk.

Hope shrugged it off, "So then… what's it like? Being in crystal for that long and all?"

Vanille looked up at the sky and thought of one word to best describe it and she answered, "Peaceful." She looked over at her friend, and his eyes were still fixated on her, as if he wanted more of an answer. "It feels as if you're sleeping, but all you have are happy dreams, never any nightmares. Everything around you is everything you've ever enjoyed! And everyone you've ever cared about!" she chirped fervently.

Hope nodded and smiled, "Sounds nice."

He had been in crystal when they first completed their Focus, but he was not in that state nearly long enough to experience it fully, thus the reasoning for his curiosity.

All was silent for another minute or two, before Hope turned to his friend and genuinely said, "You know, I… I've missed you a lot."

Vanille turned and looked at him briefly, but when what he had said sunk in she quickly spun around and covered her blushing face with her petite hands.

Hope began laughing hysterically, and in between gasps for air he mumbled, "You haven't changed a bit."

The bouncy redhead sprinted around to look at him almost with anger on her features, taking his statement for a negative one, "Is that a _bad_ thing?"

Hope straightened up and replied, "No, not at all."

"Oh!" Vanille shrieked in embarrassment as she became even more flustered. She got to her feet and walked a few steps away from him, still covering her face.

The young boy had to try his hardest to contain his laughter, but he did so nonetheless.

He smiled, and thought for a moment. He began wanting to know the _real_ answers to the questions he had asked her earlier.

"So… how are you _really_ here?" he decided to venture for a true answer yet again.

Vanille turned around to greet his gaze as he stood to meet her's.

"Well… this is your _dream_. You're _dreaming_ about me," she responded frankly.

A frown immediately took over Hope's face, "So… you _really_ aren't back then?"

"No, I'm still in crystal. You must have really wanted to see me for your dreams to bring me here," she teased playfully.

This time, it was Hope who became flustered. He scratched the back of his head and looked at the grass below him nervously, "Well, uh…"

Vanille giggled and threw her arms around him again saying, "It's okay! I wanted to see you too!"

Hope was taken aback at her sudden embrace, but smiled at her words and returned the gesture.

They remained silent in each other's arms for a moment before Hope spoke up, "Uh, Vanille?"

"What is it, Hope?" she inquired, still wrapping her arms around him.

"Will I ever, um… really see you again? I mean… for _real_?" he asked.

Vanille stepped out of his grip, leaving her hands on each of his shoulders as she answered, "Of course," with a huge, joyful grin.

He smiled in return and came back with another question, "Remember when you told me to… 'face it later…' about my mom?"

Vanille nodded.

Hope glanced around, looking for the words, "What about _this_?"

The young girl furrowed her brow, "What do you mean?"

"I can't, uh…" Hope stammered, "It's hard for me to be without you…" he looked down.

Vanille's jaw dropped, just ever so slightly, and then a smile took over her features as she replied, "You could always run?"

Hope shrugged, "Doesn't really help when what you're telling me to run _from_ is really… someone I would rather run _to_."

Vanille beamed. She tried not to smile when it was obvious that he was asking for help with something that upset him, but she couldn't help it, his words made her light up – _inside_ and _out_.

"Then face it _later_," she responded with a smirk.

The small boy chuckled at her response, "Is that your advice for everything?"

She lowered her arms from his shoulders and shrugged with a giggle, "Well, if it works, right?"

They shared laughter for another blissful moment until Vanille began slowly fading away.

Hope became frantic, "What's happening?"

"It must be time for you to wake up, sleepyhead!" she teased.

As she continued growing fainter, Hope shook his head frenetically, "Wait!" he shouted, "Don't leave me again!"

"Don't worry! We'll see each other again! I promise!" she assured.

"Vanille wait!" he yelled, "I… I lo-," but to no avail; she was gone and he awoke at home in his bed.

||0||

It had been five years since that day that he was granted with his friend's presence in his dreams. Every night he went to sleep with the hope that he would get to lay his eyes on her one last time, but she was never there.

Hope was no longer a young boy anymore, he was a young man, and one day in particular he had been working in a field gathering food for him and his father. Even though he was of age to be on his own, it didn't feel right for him to leave his only family.

This same, particular day, the young, blonde haired man had not noticed an old companion approaching him gradually from behind.

After gathering an adequate amount of provisions, he stood up with his basket and wiped his brow of sweat. As he turned around, he saw a familiar figure in the distance. He squinted his eyes; he didn't believe what he was seeing. Was he dreaming?

The slender form started making its way over to him, and his vision of his comrade became clearer. He dropped his basket to the ground in shock as he mumbled, "Va… Vanille?"

As soon as he uttered her name, her trademark grin swept across her features and she bound up to him as fast as her feet could carry her. She didn't slow down as she came up to him, wrapping her arms around him in an embrace that almost knocked him over.

"You're so _tall_ now!" she giggled. The last time she saw him, he was just barely at her height, now she had to look _up_ to meet his eyes.

Hope chuckled and returned the hug, but he was still perplexed, "Is this… _real_?" he inquired.

The overjoyed girl stepped back, looked at him with a broad smile, and gave an enthusiastic nod as she responded, "Yes! I'm real! We've woken up from crystal!"

He was confused for a moment, but as he looked past Vanille, he saw the proud shape of Fang in the background who, upon noticing that she noticed him, gave him a stern nod and a wave.

Hope smiled and this time, _he_ was the one to initiate a hug, "I… I've missed you."

"I've missed you too!" she giggled.

She stepped out of the squeeze as she asked eagerly, "How long has it been? How old are you now?"

"It's been five years, I'm twenty now," he replied coolly.

Vanille was shocked for a moment, but easily shrugged it off saying, "I've slept for longer!" with a silly laugh.

The young man smiled at her and she said, "You're older than me now!"

"Nah," he waved away her comment, "You've still got, what? A few… _hundred_ years on me? Right?" he teased.

Vanille chuckled, "Who cares! Time means nothing when you have _eternal_ life," she taunted.

Hope smiled, but changed the subject, "You remember what I told you? Six years ago on the Yaschas Massif?"

The redhead crossed her arms over her chest, then raised her right hand and planted it under her chin in thought, "Um… I think so?"

"Well, I wasn't joking," he said openly.

Vanille raised an eyebrow confusedly.

"It really _does_ make me happy when you smile," he elucidated.

The young girl immediately whirled around on her heel, "Oh! Uh! Um…" she yelped as her cheeks instantly became flushed.

Hope bent over in fits of laughter.

Vanille turned around and stared at him furiously, "Don't tell me you were joking again!"

"No!" Hope chuckled, "It's just," he tried in between hysterics, "You're too cute."

The petite, young woman covered her face with her hands and let her gaze fall to that of the dirt, but stayed facing her friend as she became flustered.

Hope straightened up, his face red from laughter, "Remember how you told me to… face it later?"

The lively redhead smiled with a quick nod.

"Well, would now be a good time?" he asked as he came in close to her.

Vanille giggled sheepishly as she beamed from ear to ear, "Yes… face it _now_."

* * *

_**End.**_


End file.
